Former Tennessee standout Christian Moore is already making waves before even stepping foot on the field with the Los Angeles Angels. While Moore has yet to play an official MLB game, he recently faced off against former Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer in a thrilling one-on-one battle that showcased both Moore’s skill and mental toughness.
Bauer, known for his controversial departure from Major League Baseball after being accused of assault during his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers, has found himself in the spotlight for reasons other than his pitching. Since his MLB exit in 2021, Bauer has played in Nippon Professional Baseball and the Mexican League, while also creating a popular YouTube channel with nearly a million subscribers.
In his most recent video, Bauer invited Moore, a former standout at Tennessee, to the batter’s box to test his mettle. The scene mirrored the intense, yet lighthearted, nature of college baseball training, where players often engage in informal one-on-one competitions with friendly trash talk in the background.
The video introduced a unique scoring system: Bauer earned points for strikeouts, while Moore gained points for putting the ball in play. Despite being a former MLB All-Star, Cy Young winner, and First Team All-MLB selection, Bauer had to quickly realize that Moore was not an easy opponent. Early on, the matchup was heavily in Bauer’s favor, as Moore struck out twice in his first two at-bats due to Bauer’s sharp off-speed pitches.
But Moore, who had smashed 30 home runs during his time at Tennessee, wasn’t about to back down. Bauer himself acknowledged Moore’s power, stating that the young hitter could turn the game around in an instant. “I’ve got to build a little bit of a lead here,” Bauer said, “But that’s not that many points against a guy with power like this.”
And Moore proved Bauer right. The former Vol responded with a towering home run to left center, a move that dramatically shifted the momentum in his favor. As Moore gained confidence, his demeanor began to change. He started to chat back with Bauer, bringing an added intensity to the competition, and even bent the rules to gain a slight advantage before his final at-bat.
As one YouTube commenter put it, “Dude went from silent and peaceful to Sims after one nuke.” Another noted, “You can tell when Christian started getting more confidence and more swagger because he started talking a little trash and looked like he was having fun.”
Reflecting on his change in attitude, Moore acknowledged, “I had to settle down. I was a little amped up at the beginning.”
While the competition was lighthearted and entertaining for viewers, it also demonstrated Moore’s mental toughness and his ability to remain poised under pressure. As the game progressed, Moore dug deep, executing a remarkable comeback that ultimately led him to claim victory over the former Cy Young winner.
This encounter not only provided fans with a fun spectacle, but also served as a reminder of Moore’s potential in the big leagues. Following his impressive performance during Tennessee’s national championship run, Moore is widely regarded as one of the rising stars in MLB, and this battle against Bauer only reinforced his future as a dominant force in baseball.
